The “Odyssey” Book One and Nine Test

9th Grade – Honors

Short Answer – answer with a word or phrase – 5 points each.

1. In Book One, what goddess does Homer call upon for assistance?

2. In Book One, who is speaking?

3. Book Nine is narrated by whom?

4. What does the phrase “when the young Dawn with fingertips of rose came in the east” mean?

5. What does Polyphemus do “for a living”?

6. Who is Polyphemus’ father?

Discussion – answer in several complete sentences or a well-written paragraph – 10 points each.

7. What is an invocation and why is Book Once entitled “Invocation”?

8. What happens in the land of the Lotus Eaters?

9. Odysseus has been called a “master strategist”. In detail, give two examples from Book Nine of the
Odyssey that prove this to be true and tell how they prove it.

10. In detail, how does Odysseus out wit the Cyclops and gain freedom?

11. Do you think that Polyphemus the Cyclops is the barbaric villain that Odysseus makes him out to be?
Explain why or why not using specific examples from the story and class discussion.

12. In the end of Book Nine, Odysseus and his men almost do not make a clean getaway. Why is this?

13. Once Polyphemus finds out who has really injured him, what does he do?